January 11, 2013
WEEKLY INFO BULLETIN
To: Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Andrew Neiditz, City Manager

Public Works submits two Grant applications for "2013 Quick Response Safety Program": The following are the grant projects. Grant awards will be announced February 2nd with the requirement that these projects be advertised for construction bids no later than October 1, 2013.

Citywide Safety Upgrade Project: This project would upgrade up to 43 existing signalized intersections with better visibility displays and modify operations to flashing-yellow-arrow where appropriate. This project adds on to an existing grant the City received to upgrade up to 16 intersections. Total new grant request is $661,000.

Custer/John Dower Signal Replacement: This traffic signal would be replaced and upgraded with better visibility displays, pavement rehabilitation, and new pavement markings. The new signal will be placed within existing rights-of-way, but wide enough to accommodate future dedicated left turn lane(s) when warranted. Total grant request is $400,000.

CSRT removes homeless camp: On December 27th, the CSRT (Community Safety & Resource Team) coordinated the Lakewood Municipal Court work crew, Parks staff and Lakewood Police officers to remove a homeless camp and clean up the garbage left over. The camp was located underneath the 75th St W Bridge just off of Bridgeport Way. The location came to the City’s attention from the Pierce County Conservation District. They have a water quality study that is on-going and they noticed both the existence of at least one tent and a lot of garbage underneath the bridge and the elevated levels of fecal coli form bacteria found in Flett Creek in that area. There were two tents located under the bridge and both were tagged with a message from the City of Lakewood with notification to vacate the area within three days or they would be removed by the City and property disposed of. There was also a stabbing there on December 20th, related to a dispute between two homeless men who wanted the same tent. When the team arrived on the 27th, one tent was gone and the other had apparently been abandoned. The large amount of garbage was cleaned up thanks to the work crew and the area will be watched by patrol to prevent others from setting up camp there.